


Cole helps Cullen

by VTethras



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Dragon Age - Freeform, Gen, Helpful Cole (Dragon Age), Templars (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 10:23:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16173173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VTethras/pseuds/VTethras
Summary: "I sometimes see why something I said would bother Cullen. Maybe I'll do it less."





	Cole helps Cullen

The sound of rain spattering against the window filled the silence in the Commander’s ears as he sat up late at night filling his reports. Cullen would sometimes put down his quill, drag his gloves off and rub his eyes. The man was tired, but he didn't want to sleep. The Commander was afraid of sleeping. When Cullen slept, it felt like he was back there. Back in Kinloch hold where he was trapped in a small prison, trying to resist demons altering his mind while watching his friend getting tortured and killed. Sometimes it was just enough to close his eyes for a few seconds and he’d flinch. He'd see a quick image of a desire demon ready to indulge in a steamy makeout session.  
Cullen looked up. The man was frightened, caught his breath while telling himself the nightmare was not real. It was just a nightmare. Cullen continued to write, sometimes it grew tiresome and he wished he could do something else. Like reading a good book or play board games with Rylen, Leliana, the Inquisitor or even that magister Dorian. Playing against Josephine was out of the question. He clearly remembered what happened last time and how long it took to find his underwear. Though he smiled to himself thinking back to the happy, joyful night they shared together. Cullen wished he could have those nights more often. Maybe in the future, or in another world. He believes once his soul passes the beyond and into the Golden City he will play board games with his mum and dad all day long until he never wants to see a game piece again. Cullen never really felt the need to mourn when knowing about his parents passing, his mind was too boggled up with fear of mages and trauma from the mage uprising. He never even responded to the letter he got from his big sister until many years later. Hoping now his sister Mia still can forgive him for rarely keeping in touch.  
The Commander leaned back in his chair, allowing himself to take a small break before continuing and then allowing him a few hours of sleep. Without thinking he closed his eyes and sleeps for briefly ten minutes until he woke up and felt watched. Cullen looked around, his hands ready to yield his sword if needed. Suddenly he noticed the presence of a young man around nineteen years old, dressed in dirty, worn-out clothes and he had very light blonde hair shaping his very lean and sunken face. Cullen didn’t let his guard down since he’d never seen this boy around the area before, nor heard of his approval staying here.  
“The visions you see at night are not real. They want to make you think they are real so they can hurt you” the boy spoke calmly, not minding the man holding his freshly sharpened sword close to the boy's body. “It was not your fault. You were scared.”  
The Commander looked very distressed with what the boy said. He understood completely was the boy was talking about and he did not like it at all. Cullen hated being reminded by himself or others that he seldom see things that are not real. It makes him think he’s going mad and Lyrium will make him stop doing these obscure actions. The boy did not understand how bothered Cullen was by his words. “The visions wants to hurt you. Make you do things you do not want to do. She doesn't want you to do these things either. She feels stronger and safe in your arms and the way you’re holding her wrists while lying over her at the desk is what she loves the most.”  
“I want you to leave, demon,” Cullen said quite loudly. The boy blinked.  
“Trapped, unable to breathe while the waves are hitting the boat. I want to leave, I never want to come back. Traveling back home was just like last time. Trapped, unable to breathe and feeling the ceiling is getting lower and lower. Well, it could always be worse, he said.”  
Commander Cullen swung his sword against the boy, who disappeared into thin air as the sword would’ve hit his body, slashed him into two pieces. The man looked around, the boy was nowhere to be found. Another foolish vision, he thought to himself. Distressed by what just happened, he decided it was time for him to fall asleep. Cullen walked up the ladder to his loft, undressing slowly and folding his clothes gently. He slipped under the blankets, greeted by the female skin and soft moans of the Inquisitor in a deep sleep. The Commander smiled when he saw her, revealed she had not been woken up by his odd behavior downstairs. He looked at her a while, not remember the boy who thought he would help the Commander but only made it worse. In his mind, it was just a mere vision. Like one of those visions from ten years ago. Cullen lied down and heard the damp sound of rain spattering against the windows, following Lavellan’s soft breathing, making him feel more at ease. Making Cullen feel hopeful he'd have a nightmare-free night when sleeping. What he did not know was that the boy granted him to forget his past for just this one night so he could have a good night’s rest. The boy didn’t want to do this too often, then Cullen would remember him and it would make him very, very angry. He knew Cullen wasn’t like the other Templars. The Templars the boy had met before only wanted to kill, while Cullen only wanted to help. But along the way helping made him hurt. And the more he helps, the more he’s hurting. The boy, who was named Cole, had never felt so conflicted in his entire existence if he should make Cullen forget everything or let him remember. Right now, Cole thought, Cullen needs to remember the hurting to be able to help.

**Author's Note:**

> Got inspired to do this by some interesting words Cole saying when making him more human. :)


End file.
